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Knights of the Growing Lands
History: The founding of the Knights of the Growing Lands occurred in 549 AC, as was declared in the Treaty of the Alliance of the Growing Lands. The mandate of these knights is to protect the people of the Growing Lands from threats both within and without. While the Knights are based in the port city of Brightspring, where their largest training facility is located, they are not considered to be connected to that city. The knighthood has several other meeting houses spread throughout the Growing Lands. The motto of the Knighthood is “Serenity through Service” and they believe that only through mutual service can a community be supported. Due to the treaty, no member of the Knighthood can own land or a keep, and all holdings that the Knights are stationed in are provided by the City whose lands they lie in. Both of these facts lead the knights of the order to own only what they can carry, and to be much more focused on their deeds than their possessions. In addition most Knights tithe to either the church of the Daymaiden or to the city in which they live in as a sign of their devotion to the support of the community. The Seal of the Knighthood is a golden head of wheat on a green background. Membership To become a member of the Knights of the Growing Lands is relatively easy. The prospective knight must approach a member in good standing of the Knighthood, and request admittance. The prospective member must then swear that he owns no land, and either provide proof of a great deed done in the service of the Cities of the Growing Lands or ask for a quest that would prove that devotion. Once this task has been completed the Knight must then divide all the material wealth he owns into three parts. One part he keeps to support himself, one part is donated to the Church of the Daymaiden, and the third is given to the poor. Once this has been verified by the local knights, the prospective member is knighted and his name is sent to Brightspring where it is entered onto the roll of the knighthood. The Knighting Once the decision to knight a prospective member occurs, the ritual takes a full day to complete. The prospective knight is brought to the home of a local family before dawn, and is made to live with and work with this family for the entire day, both to remind him whom he serves and to grant him humility. He will sleep beneath the stars that night, and will be sent for in the hour before the next dawn. The knight performing the ritual will bathe the prospective knight’s hands and feet, and anoint his head with oils. When this is completed the following exchange takes place: Knight: You have seen and lived with the people who are the beating heart of the Growing Lands. Do you swear yourself to service to these goodly people and all like them for the whole of your life? Prospective Member: If they would find my service worthy, it would be my honor to do so. Knight: Then come brother, and let us serve together. (the two clasp hands and share an embrace) Rulership of the Knights The head of the Knights of the Growing Lands is currently Sir Geddin Bolivar. The head of the Knights is chosen by an open vote of the knighthood and the head of the order is chosen for life. In addition to the maintenance of the Roll of the Knighthood, the head of the order is responsible for representing the Knights in the Council of the Alliance, the diplomatic council of the Growing Land, and to coordinate the actions of the Knighthood in times of war or great natural disaster. ﻿ Category:Icehearth Category:Organizations and Institutions